Irish grass-fed beef producers have taken top overall honors at the 2026 World Steak Challenge in Amsterdam, securing a record haul of 82 medals, including 29 gold awards. The total placed Ireland ahead of Australia, which received 42 medals, and England, which earned 26 medals.

More than 450 steaks were evaluated in blind tastings by a panel of over 60 meat industry experts at Vlees & Co steakhouse. The international competition, launched in 2015, assesses entries in both grass-fed and grain-fed categories to benchmark production standards, meat quality, and breed credentials. While Australian producer Paradigm Foods claimed the overall title of World's Best Steak for its Wagyu fillet, Irish entries dominated the grass-fed categories.

Irish retailers and meat processors earned multiple category titles at the awards. Tesco Ireland, in partnership with processor ABP Food Group, secured the award for World's Best Grass-Fed Sirloin with an Angus Cross entry. Lidl Ireland and Dawn Meats won the World's Best Grass-Fed Ribeye category for an Aberdeen Angus Cross steak, marking a consecutive category title for the partnership.

Industry figures noted that the international awards serve as an important marketing driver for Irish beef exports. Joe Burke, Senior Manager for Meat and Livestock at Bord Bia, stated that the medal haul reflects the quality of pasture-based systems under the Origin Green sustainability scheme and converts into commercial gains for exporters worldwide. Dawn Meats Chief Executive Niall Browne also welcomed the results, describing the win as a major endorsement for the company's processing teams and supplying farm families.